Central Asian Countries and the Republic of Korea are Expanding Customs Cooperation

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was welcomed by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the airport in Islamabad, Qazinform News Agency cites Akorda.

The formal ceremonial welcome featured the guard of honor and 21-gun salute for the Kazakh President’s state visit to Pakistan. There was also a group of children, waving the flags of Kazakhstan and Pakistan.

 

First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Ashikbayev held a meeting with Utsav Kumar, Country Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Kazakhstan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The Asian Development Bank is one of Kazakhstan’s key international partners, with cooperation spanning more than 30 years and having acquired a long-term and strategic character.

At the same time, he emphasized the importance of increasing the efficiency of ongoing projects and ensuring their practical contribution to Kazakhstan’s further socio-economic development.

The First Deputy Minister briefed the ADB Country Director on the large-scale economic and constitutional reforms underway in Kazakhstan, highlighting the importance of aligning project selection processes with the priorities of the transformations being implemented in the country.

In turn, Utsav Kumar noted the close and constructive cooperation between ADB and the Government of Kazakhstan, emphasizing that over the years of partnership the Bank has invested more than 7.5 billion US dollars in the country’s economy. He also expressed ADB’s readiness to further deepen the partnership and expand the portfolio of socially and economically significant projects.

The parties discussed the upcoming visit of ADB President Masato Kanda to Kazakhstan in spring 2026, which is regarded as a confirmation of the strategic nature of the partnership between the Republic of Kazakhstan and ADB.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan confirmed its readiness to continue cooperation with ADB and its representation in Kazakhstan on issues of mutual interest.

 

Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Saudi Arabia Madiyar Menilbekov held a meeting with the chairman of the Gulf Research Center and prominent regional expert, Abdulaziz Sager, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the meeting, the Ambassador informed his interlocutor on the key priorities outlined in President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s address at the 5th Session of the National Kurultai, as well as on the large-scale constitutional reforms to be put forward for a nationwide referendum.

M.Menilbekov provided detailed information on the transition to a unicameral Parliament, the introduction of the position of Vice-President, and the establishment of the People’s Council of Kazakhstan.

For his part, A.Sager expressed interest in Kazakhstan’s constitutional reforms and gave a positive assessment of the country’s political and socio-economic modernization processes. He noted that these reforms would become one of the most significant political milestones in Kazakhstan’s history.

 

Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Kenya Barlybay Sadykov held meetings with the Deputy Director General of Europe and the Commonwealth Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya Judy Njau, Chief of Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya Severine Luyali and President of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Eric Rutto, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the meeting, the Kazakh diplomat informed his counterparts about the announced large-scale constitutional changes in Kazakhstan, aimed at further improving the effectiveness of public administration and building a "Fair Kazakhstan", which will be submitted to a national referendum.

The parties also exchanged views on current issues on the international agenda, reaffirming their commitment to close cooperation within multilateral structures.

Following the meeting, an agreement was reached to strengthen cooperation across the entire spectrum of bilateral interaction, including in the areas of information and financial technology, space, transit and transport routes, including the use of Kenyan ports, agriculture, tourism, and scientific and cultural exchanges.

In addition, the parties agreed to continue interaction on issues of mutual interest and agreed on further joint measures to expand cooperation, including within the framework of four expert groups established by Kazakhstan and Kenya in the areas of trade and investment, transport, information technology, and tourism.

 

Consul General of Kazakhstan in Hong Kong SAR, Bauyrzhan Dosmanbetov, held a series of meetings with representatives of Hong Kong's business community and development institutions to enhance business cooperation in Kazakhstan's investment projects, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

Specifically, negotiations were held with representatives of "China Kingstone Mining Holdings Limited", where mining projects were presented to the Hong Kong company. Given the company's experience in managing projects from development through production and sales, a preliminary agreement was reached on further cooperation.

At a meeting with Chris Lo, Regional Director for Central Asia and Europe at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), and Casey Lam, Deputy Director for International Markets, Consulates, and Chambers of Commerce at the Investment Promotion Agency of Hong Kong SAR (InvestHK), practical steps to activate bilateral business cooperation were discussed. The parties exchanged substantive views on increasing trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Hong Kong by boosting exports from the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Consul General presented over 200 export items from JSC "Trade Policy Development Center "QazTrade".

The Hong Kong side, in turn, invited Kazakhstani producers to actively participate in the "Hong Kong Food Expo", organized by the HKTDC in 2026.

The parties also emphasized the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI), information and communications technology (ICT), and the development of modern trade infrastructure and logistics. In this regard, HKTDC representatives invited a number of Kazakhstani companies to participate in the "InnoEX" forum, which will be held in April 2026.

The Consul General noted the large influx of foreign tourists to the Republic of Kazakhstan in the coming years. In this regard, InvestHK representatives expressed interest in the construction of hotel complexes in Kazakhstan, emphasizing the potential of this area for the development of tourism infrastructure.

As a result of the meeting, an agreement was reached to organize a visit by Hong Kong entrepreneurs to Kazakhstan in the first half of 2026 and to further promote joint initiatives.

 

A meeting was held between Ambassador Bolat Imanbayev and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Mnatsakan Safaryan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the negotiations, the sides reviewed the outcomes of bilateral cooperation over the past year, noting the steady positive dynamics and practical orientation of Kazakh-Armenian relations. It was emphasized that regular political dialogue and the consistent implementation of the reached agreements have contributed to expansion of cooperation across a wide range of areas and elevating relations to the level of a strategic partnership.

Ambassador of Kazakhstan outlined the key areas of the constitutional reform, highlighting their focus on modernizing the system of public administration and strengthening the resilience of state institutions.

Particular attention was paid to practical aspects of bilateral cooperation, including increasing mutual trade, stimulating investment activity, expanding industrial and technological cooperation, as well as implementing joint projects in the trade and economic sphere. The parties reviewed the progress in implementing the agreements reached following the official visit of the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan to Kazakhstan. In this context, the relevance of resuming direct air flights between the two countries was confirmed as an important element for intensifying business, humanitarian, and tourist contacts.

The sides discussed a plan of joint events for the current year and confirmed their readiness to continue regular contacts and practical work aimed at further strengthening and the progressive development of Kazakh-Armenian relations.

 

As part of an official visit to Ankara, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yermek Kosherbayev, was received by the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the meeting, President Erdoğan expressed satisfaction with the dynamic development of bilateral cooperation within the framework of an enhanced strategic partnership, emphasizing the importance of further deepening comprehensive and multifaceted engagement between the two countries.

In turn, Minister Kosherbayev conveyed warm greetings and best wishes to the Turkish leader on behalf of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and informed him about the progress in implementing agreements reached at the highest and high levels.

The parties discussed avenues and prospects for further strengthening Kazakh-Turkish relations based on brotherhood and strong friendship. They highly appreciated the close coordination between Kazakhstan and Türkiye within international organizations, including in the framework of Turkic integration, in a spirit of mutual trust and support, and noted the similarity of their positions on key global and regional issues.

 

H.E. Yermek Kosherbayev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan and H.E. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye presided over the 8th meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Group (JSPG) on 2 February 2026 in Ankara, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

At the meeting, the two Sides exchanged views on ways for further strengthening Kazakhstan-Türkiye relations on a wide range of areas, including trade and investments, culture and education, energy security, regional connectivity, health, environment, counterterrorism, defense and defense industry.

Celebrating the 34th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Türkiye, and highlighting the common history, language and culture as the basis of their brotherly cooperation, the Foreign Ministers reiterated their commitment to further deepen the multifaceted Kazakh-Turkish cooperation in accordance with the Enhanced Strategic Partnership of the two countries.

The Sides expressed their satisfaction with the frequency of high-level visits, which serve as a testament to the strong bilateral ties and mutual trust between Kazakhstan and Türkiye. They emphasized that such visits further deepen cooperation across various fields and reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining this dynamic momentum.

The Sides discussed priority areas for economic relations, including facilitating and diversifying trade and investment, encouraging technology transfer and joint investments in agriculture, enhancing cooperation in the field of environment, deepening cooperation in the health sector, strengthening collaboration in the fields of science and technology, particularly cyber security, artificial intelligence, digitalization and space, cooperating in the energy sector through energy trade and joint projects, including oil and natural gas infrastructure across the value chain, clean energy generation, electricity transmission, and joint exploration, development, and processing initiatives in the mining field, particularly focusing on critical minerals and rare earth elements.

Recognizing the importance of the Trans-Caspian East-West Middle Corridor as a sustainable and reliable transport and energy route in connecting Central Asian countries to foreign markets through Türkiye, the Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation in strengthening regional connectivity through bilateral cooperation and the trilateral mechanism of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers in Charge of Transport of Kazakhstan, Türkiye and Azerbaijan as well as regional and international platforms, most particularly the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), the core multilateral platform of the Turkic World.

Emphasizing that Kazakhstan remains the largest trade partner of Türkiye in Central Asia, the Foreign Ministers noted with appreciation the progress made on the implementation of the Action Plan of the 13th Meeting of the Joint Economic Commission, held on 25 April 2024 in Ankara.

The Sides have decided to take coordinated action to address emerging threats to peace and security, including terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and other transnational organized crime and threats.

The Sides expressed their appreciation for the close collaboration on defense matters, the military-technical cooperation and the ongoing Military Dialogue Meetings between the relevant authorities of the two countries. In this context, they also reaffirmed the importance of the modernization projects for Kazakhstan’s defense industry infrastructure through joint ventures.

The Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan and Türkiye recognized people-to-people relations between the two countries as one of the solid pillars of the bilateral relationship. Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University in Turkestan, Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center in Astana and Türkiye Scholarships program for Kazakh students are illustrative of this connection.

Foreign Ministers Kosherbayev and Fidan welcomed the progress regarding the establishment of Maarif Schools in Astana and Almaty in the upcoming period and agreed to continue supporting educational and cultural partnerships between the two brotherly nations.

The Sides encouraged cooperation between the two countries in the field of education and science, especially between higher and secondary professional educational institutions, including the intensification of exchange of researchers and specialists.

In collaboration with KazAID and TIKA, the Sides encouraged the promotion of sustainable development in Central Asia and cooperation on development assistance towards third countries.

Foreign Minister Fidan expressed appreciation for the solidarity shown by brotherly Kazakhstan in the face of the devastating earthquakes of 6 February 2023 and for the school construction in Nurdağı (Gaziantep) as a token of brotherly gesture by Kazakh people.

The Sides welcomed with appreciation the close and constructive cooperation established in the field of health in recent years and expressed their shared intention to further deepen and advance this cooperation in the forthcoming period through enhanced institutional engagement, capacity-building efforts and exchange of expertise.

The Foreign Ministers commended the work of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in strengthening global stability and tolerance.

Foreign Ministers Kosherbayev and Fidan reaffirmed the joint resolve of Kazakhstan and Türkiye, as founding members of the OTS, to expand their collaboration with a view to further empower the OTS and other Turkic Cooperation Organizations; which constitute the core institutions for strengthening solidarity and deepening integration of the Turkic World.

In this vein, the Sides also reaffirmed to further intensify their joint efforts to implement the "Turkic World Vision - 2040", which plays an important role in strengthening cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States.

As founding members of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) the Sides supported CICA’s transformation into a fully-fledged international organization while preserving its Asian identity.

The Sides noted the importance of deepening cooperation within international platforms such as the UN, OSCE, OIC and ECO. The Sides agreed to maintain their understanding for mutually supporting each other’s candidacies to various international organizations and posts, wherever possible.

Foreign Ministers Kosherbayev and Fidan elaborated on current regional and international developments, including in Afghanistan, Gaza, Ukraine and Syria.

The Foreign Ministers welcomed in this regard, the launch of the second phase of the Comprehensive Peace Plan to end the war in Gaza. They underlined that the establishment of the Board of Peace, endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 and of which both countries are members, has created new momentum toward a permanent ceasefire and the reconstruction of Gaza, as well as for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the realization of the two-state solution.

The Foreign Ministers emphasized the need to reach a negotiated, mutually acceptable and viable settlement of the Cyprus issue and acknowledged the aspirations of the Turkish Cypriot people being an integral part of the Turkic World to realize their equal inherent rights.

The JSPG meeting provided a timely opportunity to discuss the calendar and preparation of the 6th Meeting of the High-Level Strategic Council under the Co-Chairmanship of H.E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye to be held in Astana, as well as the organization of the upcoming Summits of the Heads of State of the OTS to be held in Kazakhstan (Turkistan) and Türkiye in 2026.